Happily Ever After
by Phoenix-Talon
Summary: What would've happened if in Isaac's story where villains got their happy endings, Neal returned-but had no memories of his previous life? A Swanfire season 4 finale redo.


Baelfire was the son of a legend.

Everyone knew of the famed knight Rumplestiltskin, who single-handedly took down the ogres of the north, thereby preventing a five-kingdom war. Everyone knew of his love for the beautiful Lady Belle, an intelligent and vivacious woman who'd turned down a thousand suitors to marry her true love.

He sometimes felt a bit of a mismatch in comparison to his noble, courageous father and wise, fierce stepmother. Not that he was a coward by any means, but Baelfire was aware of the tall shadow he lived under. Nevertheless, he was happy—what more could a young man ask for?

"Baelfire! Are you ready?" Belle called out.

He grinned at his stepmother. "Whenever you are!"

"It'll approach on the left," She directed. "Villagers, take cover!"

"There's a lad!" Someone cried out. "He's chained up! Save the boy!"

Baelfire swung around. Sure enough, a young man, barely out of childhood, was calling out for help. He threw a look towards Belle, who nodded curtly, tossing him a silver tool.

He may not have been a legendary knight with white magic powers or a clever strategist—but Baelfire was excellent at escape. He galloped towards the youth, flung himself off his horse, and picked the lock on the chains easily.

"You all right, lad?" Baelfire asked him cheerfully. The lad stared at him, open-mouthed. Probably from shock or fear.

"Bae! Behind you!" Belle shouted. He heard the ominous roar of the ogre, and drew his sword. But before he could attack, a knight in silver armor rode up. He raised his arm and white magic poured forth, paralyzing the creature. It vanished in a puff of smoke.

"The monster is dead!"

"The ogre slayers saved us!"

Baelfire grinned at his father, who accepted the villagers' adulations. He helped the boy down from his post.

"You all right, lad?" Baelfire checked his limbs, to ascertain if there were any broken bones.

The boy was staring at him strangely. He was white as a sheet, as if staring at a ghost.

"He—he brought you back," The lad whispered. "You're alive…"

"Well, thanks to my father, the ogre couldn't get a good strike in," Baelfire smiled good-humoredly. He ruffled the boy's hair.

To his shock, the boy's eyes filled with tears. His breathing became shaky and he began to shake.

"What's the matter?" Baelfire asked in concern. "Are you ill?"

"Dad," The boy choked out. "Dad! You're alive!" Without warning, the boy flung his arms around Baelfire.

XXXX

"Henry," Baelfire said gently. "There's some mistake. I can't be your father. You must have me confused with someone else."

Belle had suggested they take the shocked lad home, give him some tea and food, try and clear up this mess. Rumplestiltskin had acquiesced to this plan warmly, as he was worried for the boy too. Baelfire agreed with them both, but still felt deeply uncomfortable.

Perhaps he bore a resemblance to the boy—he'd introduced himself as Henry—to his father. It wasn't impossible. They both shared a dark mop of hair and wide, honest eyes. But Baelfire had never married or taken anyone to his bed—he was old-fashioned in that respect. He believed in true love and to be quite honest, had to yet to experience it.

Nevertheless, Henry was curiously stubborn. "You are my father," He said clearly. "And it's my fault for not thinking of this. If this is Gold's happy ending, of course you're here too!"

Baelfire stared at him. "I'm…I'm afraid I don't understand."

Henry heaved a sigh. "I can't believe this. I never thought I'd have to go through this again…I'm not sure where to begin," He took another deep breath. "Tell me—who rules this land? Is it an Evil Queen named Regina?"

Baelfire glanced at Belle, whose brow furrowed. Rumplestiltskin's hand tapped their table in agitation.

"We're in something of…a civil war," Belle explained. "It doesn't much affect the estate we live on, since we're near the outskirts, but Queen Regina and Queen Snow White have been warring for nearly thirty years."

"That's why we go from village to village," Rumplestiltskin explained, standing. "Belle is a talented healer as well as a strategist—for as many times as we fight off the ogres, we have the queens' soldiers to contend with."

"Which queen's?" Henry questioned.

"Both of them," Belle's voice was hard. "Though I'd say Snow's soldiers were worse."

Henry stared in confusion. "Did you say—Snow's soldiers?"

"They call her the Frost Queen, because she's cold as a November night," Rumplestiltskin intoned. "Most of the peasants stand with Regina, they hate Snow so much."

"How is that possible?" Henry demanded. "After everything Regina did?"

"Snow has fallen into darkness," Belle said quietly. "She is so bent on avenging herself on Regina, she doesn't care who gets in her way. Many people have died under her service and she's taken no shortage of young people out of their homes, forcing them to join her alliance. The people's choices our limited—join with Snow or die by her hand or join with Regina and die by her hand—not much of a choice."

Henry took a deep breath. "I see. So—where do you guys fall into? Do you serve Regina or Snow?"

"Neither," Baelfire answered firmly. "We serve the people. The ones who are caught between these power-mad rulers."

"The ogres have seized this opportunity to attack the villages," Rumplestiltskin put in grimly. "They did the same in my time, while the lords squabbled over land. But we'll not let them get away with it."

Henry stared at the three of them for a long while. "You guys…you aren't what I expected. I never thought—I never thought that I'd go to you all for help. But I need it. We have to restore the worlds the way it was—and to do that, we have to find my mom."

Belle quirked her head. "You believe that Baelfire is your father, right?"

"Believe nothing," Henry's voice was hard. "He is my father." Belle and Rumplestiltskin glanced at Baelfire who colored.

"Henry—I've…never—well, I've never married," His voice was a little defiant. "There have been ladies I've admired and been attracted to, but none who—none whom I've given my heart. You must be mistaken."

"I'm not," Henry retorted. "You fell in love with the Savior—the daughter of Snow White, Emma Swan. She's my mother!"

Emma Swan.

The name reverberated in Baelfire's skull. He frowned—he knew with certainty that he'd never heard the name before, but something about it…something about it almost chimed. As if from a wisp of a dream from his childhood.

"If we find her," Henry said seriously. "You can give her True Love's kiss. I think it will break the enchantment on this land—and keep you…keep you with us!"

Henry's voice broke strangely and Baelfire wondered just what he meant. He glanced at his father and stepmother. "Have you heard of Queen Snow—having a daughter?" He cleared his throat, trying to keep the skepticism out of it.

Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "She is unwed, as far as I know. There are legends of a prince who loved her, but she spurned him because her heart was too cold to love…but I'd thought that was just an old song."

Belle's brow had furrowed and Baelfire knew something was pressing on his stepmother's mind. He looked at her questioningly.

"Have you heard of her, sweetheart?" Rumplestiltskin asked gently. "In your research?"

"I…I don't know the name," Belle admitted. "But—there's a very obscure legend—one I've only heard once—of a woman who called herself that. The Savior."

"That must be Emma!" Henry shouted. "Isaac lied. He couldn't write her out of the story. Where is she now?"

Belle's lips twisted. "Henry…I don't want to get your hopes up. This isn't legitimate research, these are just rumors I've heard—"

"Furthermore, it's a lot to swallow," Rumplestiltskin intoned. "That this universe isn't the right universe, that…you said this was my happy ending?"

"Of course," Henry observed the knight cryptically. "You're married to your true love. You have your son with you—safe and happy. You're a hero to the villagers, you have white magic—this is everything you've ever wanted!"

Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat. "I won't…I won't deny the gods have blessed me—"

"But it's not right," Henry argued. "Your happy ending at the cost of my mother's life? If you want to be the hero, then you have to help me find her!" There was a sudden silence at Henry's pronouncement.

Baelfire looked at his father and stepmother. "What do you think?"

Rumplestiltskin sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Henry—I don't mean to disparage or disbelieve you, but—your story is very hard to swallow. Different worlds, different timelines, universes being flipped…our work here in the villages is too important to simply stop. And with all due respect…you're very young."

"When I was younger and I had to tell someone something even crazier than this," Henry balled his fists. "It doesn't matter if you don't believe me, Rumplestiltskin. Because I'm going to find my mom and she's going to break this enchantment—whether you like it or not!"

The knight flinched at Henry's antagonistic tone. "Lad, I'm not your enemy…" Belle took his hand and squeezed it.

"Henry," Belle's voice was low. "I can see this is important to you—and I do think there is something strange happening here—but we can't abandon the villagers. They need us."

Henry turned towards Baelfire. The truth was, Baelfire didn't know what to believe. Everything sure and logical told him that the boy was touched in the head—or perhaps lying to get attention. But there was something familiar about the boy's earnestness.

And Baelfire couldn't deny that the name Emma Swan had struck a chord within him. He didn't know why. But he knew enough to trust his instincts.

"I agree with Papa and Belle," Baelfire said finally and Henry's face fell. "You can't abandon the villagers. Not with the ogres still attacking. But there's something strange about Henry's story and—I think I should look into it."

Henry's relief was palpable. There was a strange expression on Rumplestiltskin's face, but he nodded towards his son in assent.

XXXX

"According to Belle, the rumors say that the Savior—whoever she is, was locked away almost thirty years ago because her power was incomprehensible. She was a threat to Queen Snow's rule."

Henry listened thoughtfully, scratching his horse's neck. He snuck glances at his father, too afraid that at any moment or interference, Neal would disappear into oblivion. But his father remained, riding on a large bay horse, talking about the legend of the Savior.

His father cleared his throat. "In all honesty, I'm not sure where we should look first."

"We could try getting help from Regina," Henry twisted his lips. "But if she doesn't remember me—I don't know. This would be her happy ending too, right? What can you tell me about her?"

"She lives in a sprawling castle that overlooks the eastern kingdom," Neal replied scratching his neck. "They say the castle itself is a mirror and is lined with mirrors, so she can spy on whoever she wishes. She's gained a lot of support in recent years, as Snow has descended into more cruelty and coldness."

"Is it possible that Regina might help us?" Henry asked. "Help us free Emma, that is?"

"I doubt it," Neal said shortly. "According to Belle, Regina was just as eager to keep the Savior locked away, perhaps even helped. Regina's…'happy ending', as you call it, seems bent on keeping the people supporting her and being an adversary to Snow White."

Henry sighed. "I guess that leaves Snow's palace. Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, but it's across the sea," Neal acknowledged. "We'll have gain passage on a ship."

Henry wrinkled. The very last thing he wanted to do was confront Killian Jones, discover what Hook's happy ending had turned out to be—he had never liked the pirate, particularly when he and Emma had struck up a romantic relationship, shortly after his father's death. Emma had been respectful, attempting to keep it quiet from Henry, but he'd known.

But Henry believed in something called fate. And if that meant getting a hold of a dirty pirate to save his mother—he'd do it.

"I think I know who we can go to," He said grimly. "Do you know of a pirate named Killian Jones?"

Neal stilled. He glanced at Henry strangely and for a brief shining second, Henry hoped the name was familiar to him. After all, didn't his father once tell him that Killian had taught him to sail?

"How do you know that name?" Neal asked finally.

"He—I knew him in Storybrooke. The town I told you about, that was under the first enchantment," Henry attempted to explain.

"He was in your book of fairytales? The one with the true story of every character?" Neal asked.

"No," Henry snorted. "We met him after the first curse was lifted. He was our enemy for a while, but I guess he…switched sides?"

"Sounds like him," Neal's voice was flat and cold.

"Who is he here?"

"A pirate," Neal's hands gripped the saddle. "My mother…my mother is with him. She left us to be with him."

That was right—Henry's grandmother was Milah, Killian's true love. If this world were a world where the villains got the happy endings, it would make sense that Hook's happy ending included Milah. It fit in well with Gold's happy ending too—he was sure Rumplestiltskin would want his first wife far away from his happy new family. Nevertheless, it must hurt Neal deeply that Milah left them…

"Should we…find someone else?" Henry asked cautiously.

Neal's grip on the reins relaxed. "No. It's a good plan. Killian Jones will be more willing to help me because of it—we're on a foolhardy mission, by all accounts. Not many ships will want to sail into Queen Snow's harbor."


End file.
